Commonweal fosters rigorous and reflective discussions about faith, public affairs, and the arts, centered on belief in the common good. Independent and lay-led, Commonweal is a bridge between the intellectual and active lives of lay Catholics who seek meaning and justice, inspiring people in their hopes for a more inclusive future for our church, politics, and culture.
Founded in 1924, Commonweal is published by the nonprofit Commonweal Foundation for all readers who want to engage with the Catholic tradition in a context of justice, charity, and critical intelligence. To learn more about us, check out:
- Our one hundred year history of independent commentary
- Our masthead of current staff and contributing writers
- Our board of directors
- Information to contact us
WHAT WE DO
The Magazine – Commonweal, a journal of opinion on politics, religion, and culture, is published in print eleven times a year. Our website publishes all the contents of the print magazine along with daily online-only content and an archive of past issues. Get your subscription today at cwlmag.org/subscribe or join our email list for the latest news and updates at cwlmag.org/newsletter.
The Commonweal Podcast – Our twice-monthly podcast features a regular compendium of interviews and discussions at the intersection of faith, politics, and culture. Tune in on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or cwlmag.org/podcast.
Commonweal Conversations – Commonweal sponsors a variety of in-person and virtual conversations. An archive of our past events can be found on Commonweal's YouTube page. Information related to upcoming events, including our biannual Commonweal Conversations dinner presenting our Catholic in the Public Square Award, can be found at cwlmag.org/events.
Communities – Commonweal also gathers communities for conversation. Commonweal Local Communities are discussion groups composed of Commonweal readers and friends interested in discussing articles related to the magazine. The Weal is our community of students and young professionals that seeks opportunities to explore a living faith while living in the world. For upcoming news and events related to The Weal, sign up at cwlmag.org/theweal.
Financial Support – As a 501(c)(3) Nonprofit, more than half of Commonweal's revenue comes from contributions from more than 2,000 individuals who support our work as Commonweal Associates, as well as private foundations. The rest comes from subscriptions and advertising. For more about our financial support, see our most recent annual report.
Resources – For educators, campus ministers, parishes, and all who may wish to lead rigorous conversations on contemporary issues, Commonweal offers several discussion resources. Every edition of the magazine includes a free Issue Discussion Guide to accompany one or more of our feature articles available at cwlmag.org/discuss. For a more curated discussion resource around thematic and topical issues, check out our annual Conversation Starter Series at cwlmag.org/css.